1. Field of Invention
This invention relates generally to the field of restraint systems and more particularly relates to restraint systems for individuals being transported in the rear seat of a police car, detective cruiser, or other modern mode of transportation.
2. Related Art
The transport of an individual such as an arrestee or prisoner in the back seat of a police car is a common occurrence, and in many instances the individual must be restrained. Often the individual is restrained using a pair of handcuffs, the arms of the individual being handcuffed behind the individual's back. In some instances though, a violent or non-cooperative individual requires further restriction, and a restraint device and method are needed to further restrain the individual such that movements from side to side and back and forth are restricted. This is critical for the safety of the officer and the individual being restrained. In the past, multiple devices have been proposed to safely and securely transport individuals. Unfortunately, each of the devices in the related art have disadvantages when compared to the restraint device and method disclosed in the present invention.
The earliest restraining devices for use during prisoner or arrestee transport were disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 1,823,697 issued to Nenstiehl on Sep. 15, 1931 and U.S. Pat. No. 3,007,331 issued to Irwin on Nov. 7, 1961. More recently, restraint devices for vehicular use were disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,789,183 issued to Wolfer on Dec. 6, 1988 and U.S. Pat. No. 7,922,254 issued to Squires et al. on Apr. 12, 2011.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,823,697 discloses a fixed spring and chain handcuff device which is located and affixed beneath the seats of a vehicle. Working in a similar fashion, U.S. Pat. No. 3,007,331 discloses a rigid member which is fixed to the floor of the vehicle directly in front of the seat. In U.S. Pat. No. 3,007,331, the handcuffs on the individual are locked within a device that is attached to the rigid member to securely hold the individual in his seat during transport. Each of these devices secure the individual to the vehicle and restrict side to side movement to a degree; however, neither of these devices directly secures nor restricts the back and forth movement of the torso of the individual, and both require the individual to position his hands in front of his body.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,789,183 discloses a device and method which improves the prior devices as it secures an individual in the vehicle and prevents him from getting his hands in front, of his body. The device consists of straps that are fixed to the vehicle at alternate points near the seat system. U.S. Pat. No. 7,922,254 discloses a retractable strap that connects to the handcuffs of the prisoner and clinches the prisoner to the seat within the vehicle. The device uses electric magnets with a retractable strap to lock the handcuffed individual in his seat with his hands snugly secured behind his back. As with the devices previously described, these devices are limited in that they do not limit the back and forth movement of the torso of the individual. Furthermore, none of the aforementioned devices have portability for ease of use within multiple vehicles.
In addition to the aforementioned devices which relate to the points of connection to the vehicles, seat belt buckle covers have been disclosed which prevent the buckle release by shielding an individual from the release button. U.S. Pat. No. 4,502,194, issued to Morris et al. and U.S. Pat. No. 4,674,303 issued to Salcone, II, are two devices that were developed for child safety. U.S. Pat. No. 4,502,194 discloses a rigid body housing cover over the safety belt buckle. U.S. Pat. No. 4,674,303 discloses a lockable housing that closes over the top of a safety buckle. Each of these devices was developed to prevent young children from removing seat belts while they are riding in vehicles and are designed to secure the in-place seat belts within vehicles. Neither housing system is permanently molded around the buckle or intended to prevent an adult from releasing the buckle.